Exelastis atomosa

Exelastis atomosa is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is known from Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, India, Nepal^[1] and Iran.^[2]

Exelastis atomosa
Image by Harold Maxwell-Lefroy
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Pterophoridae
Genus:	Exelastis
Species:	E. atomosa
Binomial name
Exelastis atomosa (Walsingham, 1885)
Synonyms
Marasmarcha atomosa Walsingham, 1885

Adult are small with yellowish brown wings. The forewings are cut into two plumes and hind wings into three.

The larvae are a serious pest of pigeon pea. They damage seeds as well as cause flowers, buds and pods to drop. It also enters into the pod and feeds on developing grains. They are greenish-brown and fringed with short hairs and spines.